Residents Share Insightful Firsthand Accounts of Life in Active Adult Communities

With the growth of active adult properties comes the question, what do seniors want within their 55-plus communities? The average age of a resident in an active adult community is 72 to 74, according to research conducted by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. Many of these residents prefer having smaller spaces (as it is less to clean and take care of), numerous outdoor gathering and activity spaces, outsourcing of maintenance and repairs, and general walkability to nearby shops and restaurants. A majority of this population love happy hours, dance parties, and holiday shindigs; so giving them the space to do it will bring happiness.

According to Rebusiness Online, the growth of active adult properties, which tend to be age-restricted hybrids of traditional multifamily and independent living products, is often linked to convenience for older households whose children have left the home. The prospect of having a smaller space without the various repair and maintenance tasks that come with owning a single-family home appeals to many older members of the population. While those aspects remain important, as the asset class matures, owner-operators of active adult communities are also realizing that culture, amenities, and events are equally powerful marketing tools.

And who better to speak to those features than current residents? At the Interface Active Adult conference, held May 4 at the Westin Galleria Dallas, attendees were treated to exactly that via a closing panel of local active adult residents who shared what their lives have been like since moving in. Seniors Housing Business and the Interface Conference Group, both of which are divisions of Atlanta-based France Media, hosted the third-annual event, which attracted 363 industry professionals.